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Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA) and lactate in ruminal fluid are products resulting from the microbial fermentation of substrates and can be used to reflect the composition and activity of the ruminal microbiome. Determination of SCFA and D-/L-lactate in ruminal fluid currently requires two separate protocols, which is time-consuming and costly. In this study, we have optimised and validated a simple and unified 3-nitrophenylhydrazine (3-NPH) derivatisation protocol and a 20 min chiral-LC-MS method for the simultaneous quantification of all SCFA and D- and L-lactate in ruminal fluid. This method, which requires no sample pretreatment or purification shows adequate sensitivity (limit of detection (LOD): 0.01 µg/mL), satisfactory accuracy (recovery: 88–103%), and excellent reproducibility (relative standard deviation (RSD) for repeated analyses < 3% for most analytes). The application of this method to a cohort of 24 animals allowed us to reveal a large inter-cow variation in ruminal SCFA and lactate level, the concentration range for each species, the widespread correlation between different SCFA, and the strong correlation between D- and L-lactate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The promotion of cellulose-based paper straws is one of the important ways to improve white pollution nowadays. However, developing composite straws that are simultaneously highly biocompatible, safe, and non-toxic and that overcome the low water stability and physical strength problems caused by the inherent hydrophilicity of the raw material cellulose has become an important challenge in the development process. In this study, a new all-natural superhydrophobic straw (CFS) made of a composite of cellulose nanofibers and stearic acid was introduced. Stearic acid is a saturated fatty acid derived from plant and animal oils. Inspired by the specific hydrophobicity of sugarcane cane peel, a green straw with both superhydrophobicity (water contact angle up to 153°) and remarkable mechanical strength (tensile strength up to 67.15 MPa) was developed by controlling the hydrophobic modification conditions of stearic acid through solvent vaporization. Furthermore, the composite straws under wet conditions had lower water absorption and exhibited excellent wet tensile strength compared to commercial paper straws. In addition, the composite straw without the addition of chemical binders avoids the defects of non-renewable products, fits into the global green development concept, and brings new strategies for the development of cellulose-based materials. [Display omitted] • Superhydrophobic CFS straws inspired by sugarcane epidermis. • CFS straws exhibited remarkable mechanical strength. • CFS straws showed the property of being easily recycled and reused. • CFS straws presented new options for plastic products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An accurate dry matter intake (DMI) measurement method is of great importance for determining the performance of dairy cows. While n-alkane technique is commonly used to estimate the DMI of ruminants, the protocols used to measure alkanes are complex, time consuming and low throughput. Herein we present a simplified and miniaturised protocol that combines a smaller sample matrix (60 mg of faeces or herbage), a shorter (3 h) saponification step and a direct purification of the crude extract by filtration through silica powder or mixing with silica powder prior to GC-FID analysis. In addition to a much higher throughput compared with the existing methods, by skipping the commercial SPE columns and reducing the organic solvent volume, our miniaturised protocol should significantly reduce the sample processing cost and is thus suitable for alkane determination for large-scale experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the problem of dynamic output feedback control for a class of genetic regulatory network systems. A novel event-triggered mechanism is proposed for the genetic regulatory network. A dynamic output feedback controller together with event-triggered conditions is designed. Sufficient conditions to guarantee asymptotic stability of the closed-loop systems are established based on the hybrid systems theory. Compared with some existing control methods, the proposed dynamic output feedback control method with event-triggered control strategy is more realistic and effective. Finally, computational simulations are provided to verify the theoretical results and show the superiority of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ferroptosis is a kind of cell death closely related to selective autophagy, such as ferritinophagy, lipophagy, clockophagy and chaperone-mediated autophagy. However, the role of reticulophagy, which specifically degrades endoplasmic reticulum (ER) fragments (also known as ER-phagy), in ferroptosis regulation is still unclear. In this study, we found that sorafenib (ferroptosis inducer) can effectively activate the receptor protein FAM134B-mediated ER-phagy, and FAM134B knockdown not only blocked ER-phagy but also significantly strengthened cellular sensitivity to ferroptosis without affecting macroautophagy. In vivo experiments also yielded similar results. These evidences provided new clues for ferroptosis regulation. Subsequently, bioinformatic analysis combined with RNA binding protein immunoprecipitation and polyribosome fractionation preliminarily indicated that PABPC1 can interact with FAM134B mRNA and promote its translation. Taken together, this study revealed the role of the PABPC1-FAM134B-ER-phagy pathway on ferroptosis, providing important evidence for novel anti-cancer strategies. • ER-phagy was effectively induced by sorafenib in HCC cells. • FAM134B-mediated ER-phagy was closely related to ferroptosis. • FAM134B knockdown-mediated ER-phagy inhibition might enhance cellular sensitivity to ferroptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Fructans are water-soluble carbohydrates that accumulate in wheat and are thought to contribute to a pool of stored carbon reserves used in grain filling and tolerance to abiotic stress. Results: In this study, transgenic wheat plants were engineered to overexpress a fusion of two fructan biosynthesis pathway genes, wheat sucrose: sucrose 1-fructosyltransferase (Ta1SST) and wheat sucrose: fructan 6-fructosyltransferase (Ta6SFT), regulated by a wheat ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase small subunit (TaRbcS) gene promoter. We have shown that T4 generation transgene-homozygous single-copy events accumulated more fructan polymers in leaf, stem and grain when compared in the same tissues from transgene null lines. Under water-deficit (WD) conditions, transgenic wheat plants showed an increased accumulation of fructan polymers with a high degree of polymerisation (DP) when compared to non-transgenic plants. In wheat grain of a transgenic event, increased deposition of particular fructan polymers such as, DP4 was observed. Conclusions: This study demonstrated that the tissue-regulated expression of a gene fusion between Ta1SST and Ta6SFT resulted in modified fructan accumulation in transgenic wheat plants and was influenced by water-deficit stress conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The first 500 kV AC cross‐linked polyethylene (XLPE) cable in the world has been installed in China in 2019. The insulation performance of insulation material under the electro‐thermal stress is the basis for its service life. At here, the AC breakdown voltage values and the breakdown time of the 500 kV AC XLPE submarine cable insulation material under the electro‐thermal step stress was analyzed. The lifetime prediction accuracy of a new proposed model was compared to the classic FALLOU, SIMONI/RAMU and CRINE lifetime model. Results show that the AC breakdown strength and lifetime of the XLPE samples increase slowly at low temperatures (40–65°C) and decrease rapidly at high temperatures (65–85°C). The lifetime prediction error of the classic FALLOU, SIMONI/RAMU and CRINE models present that their fit goodness cannot meet the accuracy requirement. The new lifetime model using stepwise regression method could optimize the combination of variables, which considers the coupling effect of electrical and thermal stress. The evaluation error of the new proposed model is better than the FALLOU, SIMONI/RAMU and CRINE model, which is suitable for analyzing the lifetime of the AC 500 kV XLPE submarine cable insulation material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Determination of the fatty acid profile of milk fat generally involves a protocol that comprises total lipid extraction, transesterification and GC analysis. The lipid extraction step is time-consuming and often employs toxic solvents such as chloroform. A novel protocol is presented here that skips the lipid extraction step and allows the determination of fatty acid composition via direct methylation of milk fat isolated after centrifugation of raw milk. This new method is reliable for relative quantification of fatty acids in raw milk fat and offers a much higher throughput compared with the classical methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Novel binuclear platinum complex (FPT) 2 Pt 2 (diPic) and mononuclear platinum complex (FPT)Pt(Pic) were designed and synthesized, where FPT is N-(4-(6-(9,9-diethyl-9H-fluoren-2-yl)pyridin-3-yl)phenyl) N-phenylbenzenamine, diPic is 3-(6-(2-carboxypyridin-3-yloxy)hexyloxy)picolinic acid, and Pic is picolinic acid. The photophysical, electrochemical and thermal properties, as well as electroluminescent (EL) properties for both platinum(II) complexes were studied. Compared to (FPT)Pt(Pic), (FPT) 2 Pt 2 (diPic) exhibited stronger phosphorescent emission in PL spectra and higher Φ PL , owing to the enhanced spin-orbit interaction of platinum centers. Moreover, the monochromatic devices based on (FPT) 2 Pt 2 (diPic) showed better EL properties than (FPT)Pt(Pic). Based on that, the single-emissive-layer WPLEDs using (FPT) 2 Pt 2 (diPic) as orange emitter and FIrpic as blue emitter were also obtained. The WPLEDs show best performances with a maximal LE of 1.3 cd/A, and a CIE coordinates of (0.35, 0.37) which is very close to the pure white emission. Work is still underway to improve the device efficiency and color purity of these iridium and platinum complexes co-doped WPLEDs. Graphical abstract A novel binuclear platinum complex (FPT) 2 Pt 2 (diPic) is designed and synthesized. Both orange and white PLEDs are fabricated with a simple single-emission-layer configuration based on (FPT) 2 Pt 2 (diPic). The WPLEDs combination of (FPT) 2 Pt 2 (diPic) with FIrPic exhibit a CIE coordinates of (0.35, 0.37), which is very close to the pure white color. Image 1 Highlights • Novel binuclear platinum complex and mononuclear platinum complex were synthesized. • Photophysical, electrochemical and thermal properties of Pt complexes were studied. • (FPT) 2 Pt 2 (diPic) exhibited stronger phosphorescent emission and higher Φ PL. • The monochromatic devices based on (FPT) 2 Pt 2 (diPic) show better EL property. • The single-emissive-layer WPLEDs based on (FPT) 2 Pt 2 (diPic) and FIrpic were achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three acid- and alkaline-catalysed transesterification methods were compared with the aim to validate a simple yet reliable protocol for fatty acid (FA) profiling of milk fat. While both the acid- and alkaline-catalysed methods were able to convert completely triglycerides and phospholipids into fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs), the acid catalyst caused significant degradation of conjugated linoleic acid C18:2c9t11 at high temperature. Although a milder temperature can mitigate this negative impact, a long reaction time (2 h) is required to achieve full methylation. By contrast, despite being unable to methylate free fatty acids (FFA), the alkaline-catalysed transesterification yielded comparable results for all major FA due to the very low level of FFA in milk. The alkaline-catalysed methylation is benign for C18:2c9t11. We recommend here a simple one-step protocol based on 0.2 M methanolic KOH, a short reaction time (20 min) and a mild reaction temperature (50 °C) for milk FAME preparation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bovine milk contains 3–5% of fat, of which the dominant portion (about 98%) is in the form of triacylglycerols, whereas polar lipids such as glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids are minor components (0.5–1%) of milk fat. Milk fat is thought to contain several thousand lipid species, making it the most complex material in nature in terms of lipid composition. Significant progress has been made in the past two decades in the identification and quantification of lipid species of milk thanks to the advance in analytical tools especially high-resolution mass spectrometers (MS). Currently, milk lipids are characterized mainly in two ways, i.e. global fatty acid composition profiling by gas chromatography and lipid molecular species identification and quantification by liquid chromatography tandem MS; the former provides information related to the physicochemical properties and nutritive quality of milk fat, whereas the latter provides the detailed chemical structure of lipid species. Until now, only about 400 lipid species have been described in bovine milk, with many low-abundance species remaining to be discovered. The merits and limitations of various separation techniques and different MS methodologies applied to lipid structural elucidation and quantification are critically reviewed and the challenging problems to be solved in milk lipidomic analysis highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we successfully prepared fly ash-based SiO 2 -Al 2 O 3 microspheres using phase separation followed by acid leaching. Thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction were used to identify the optimal temperature range of heat treatment. The chemical composition and surface property of the microspheres were analyzed using X-ray fluorescence and contact angle measurements, and scanning electron microscopy was used to characterize the appearance of the microspheres. The results showed that the SiO 2 -Al 2 O 3 microspheres were composed of 60–80 wt% SiO 2 and 10–12 wt% Al 2 O 3 with a uniform particle size, a hydrophilic surface, and high alkali resistance. Heat treatment studies revealed that the phase separation temperature should not exceed 900 °C to avoid crystallization. The mean particle size of the SiO 2 -Al 2 O 3 microspheres decreased with an increase in the heat treatment temperature. Additionally, observing the evolution of the phase structure at 800 °C showed that there was fusion between the SiO 2 -Al 2 O 3 -enriched phases via interfacial tension in the later stage, resulting in larger spherical phase structures. Further, an increase in the Al 2 O 3 , Fe 2 O 3 , and CaO composition decreased the SiO 2 -Al 2 O 3 microspheres particle size, and therefore inhibited phase separation. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Phosphorylated porous phenolic resins (PO-PPRs) were prepared with POCl 3 post-modification. • PO-PPRs with hierarchical pore structures demonstrated a broad pH working range (3.0–7.0). • PO-PPRs exhibited excellent adsorption capacities of light and heavy REEs (63.9–118 mg/g). • The Nd3+/Al3+ separation factor of PO-PPR-1 reached 24. • PO-PPRs can efficiently extract and recycle low-concentration REEs from tailing wastewater. Efficient extraction and recycling of rare earth elements (REEs) from low-concentration complex tailing wastewater is critical to meeting the growing industrial demands and optimizing resource utilization. In this work, three phosphorylated porous phenolic resins (PO-PPRs) were prepared via the phosphorylation of phenolic hydroxyl groups with POCl 3 , and employed to extract REE3+ from both simulated and practical low-concentration REE3+-containing aqueous solution. The PO-PPRs, characterized by hierarchical pore structures, exhibit high adsorption capacities for both light and heavy REE3+ ions over a broad pH working range from 3.0 to 7.0, along with fast adsorption kinetics (<30 min). And the maximum adsorption capacities of PO-PPRs for Nd3+, Dy3+ and Y3+ were found to be 104.1, 118.0 and 63.9 mg/g, respectively. Furthermore, the introduction of phosphonic groups significantly improves the REE3+ adsorption selectivity against various interfering metal ions such as Na+, K+, Ca2+, Mg2+, and Al3+. For instance, the Nd3+/Al3+ separation factor (S.F.) of 24 exceeded that of most commercial resins and reported materials. In a simulated mixed multi-element aqueous solution system containing Nd3+, Dy3+, Y3+, Al3+, Ca2+, Mg2+, Mn2+, K+ and Na+, PO-PPR-1 extracted 82.5% of total REE3+ while maintaining Al3+ adsorption efficiency of less than 13%. Moreover, the extraction efficiency of total REE3+ for PO-PPR-1 in pretreated practical wastewater from ion-adsorbed ores tailing reached 99.6%. Additionally, PO-PPRs demonstrated easy regeneration and excellent recycling performance after 5 consecutive adsorption–desorption cycles, confirming their promising application potential in low-concentration REEs extraction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aquatic plant Azolla became increasingly popular as bioenergy feedstock because of its high growth rate, production of biomass with high levels of biofuel-producing molecules and ability to grow on marginal lands. In this study, we analysed the contribution of all organs of Azolla to the total yield of lipids at vegetative and reproductive stages and in response to stress. Triacylglycerol-containing lipid droplets were detected in all (vegetative and reproductive) organs with the highest level in the male microsporocarps and microspores. As a result, significantly higher total yields of lipids were detected in Azolla filiculoides and Azolla pinnata at the reproductive stage. Starving changed the yield and composition of the fatty acid as a result of re-direction of carbon flow from fatty acid to anthocyanin pathways. The composition of lipids, in regard the length and degree of unsaturation of fatty acids, in Azolla meets most of the important requirements for biodiesel standards. The ability of Azolla to grow on wastewaters, along with their high productivity rate, makes it an attractive feedstock for the production of biofuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seasonal change of milk composition could offer opportunities for dairy manufacturers. A systematic survey on seasonal variation of six classes of polar lipids was conducted with 19 Holstein cows over the entire milking season using liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry technique. This study revealed that most polar lipid classes were positively correlated with the total fat content, but negatively correlated with fat globule size. All polar lipid classes displayed a large cow-to-cow variation as well as seasonal variation. All of the six classes showed a gradual increase over the milking season with the highest concentration observed in May (autumn). However, the proportion of different polar lipid classes remained constant during the entire milking season. This finding suggests that the production of polar lipids is highly regulated in the mammary gland. The implication of such a seasonal variation of polar lipids in the nutritional and technological aspects of milk is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: Batocera horsfieldi (Hope) is an important wood-boring pest in China. This pest primarily infests tree trunks by feeding on the woody tissue, creating a network of interconnected tunnels within the trunk. These tunnels become blocked with insect feces and wood debris, causing damage, decay, and even the death of the host plant's tissues. In this study, single-molecule real-time sequencing (SMRT) and Illumina RNA-seq technologies were employed to conduct full-length transcriptome sequencing of male and female adults of B. horsfieldi. A total of 20,356,793 subreads (38.26 G, clean reads) were generated, including 432,091 circular consensus sequences and 395,851 full-length non-chimera reads. Clustering and redundancy removal of the full-length non-chimera reads resulted in 39,912 consensus reads. Additionally, functional annotation was performed on a total of 84,650 transcripts in seven different databases. This study provides an important foundation for future exploration of gene regulation in the interaction between B. horsfieldi and host plants using RNA interference (RNAi), and it offers a scientific basis for the prevention and control of B. horsfieldi. Batocera horsfieldi (Hope) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is an important forest pest in China that mainly infests timber and economic forests. This pest primarily causes plant tissue to necrotize, rot, and eventually die by feeding on the woody parts of tree trunks. To gain a deeper understanding of the genetic mechanism of B. horsfieldi, this study employed single-molecule real-time sequencing (SMRT) and Illumina RNA-seq technologies to conduct full-length transcriptome sequencing of the insect. Total RNA extracted from male and female adults was mixed and subjected to SMRT sequencing, generating a complete transcriptome. Transcriptome analysis, prediction of long non-coding RNA (lncRNA), coding sequences (CDs), analysis of simple sequence repeats (SSR), prediction of transcription factors, and functional annotation of transcripts were performed in this study. The collective 20,356,793 subreads (38.26 G, clean reads) were generated, including 432,091 circular consensus sequences and 395,851 full-length non-chimera reads. The full-length non-chimera reads (FLNC) were clustered and redundancies were removed, resulting in 39,912 consensus reads. SSR and ANGEL software v3.0 were used for predicting SSR and CDs. In addition, four tools were used for annotating 6058 lncRNAs, identifying 636 transcription factors. Furthermore, a total of 84,650 transcripts were functionally annotated in seven different databases. This is the first time that the full-length transcriptome of B. horsfieldi has been obtained using SMRT sequencing. This provides an important foundation for investigating the gene regulation underlying the interaction between B. horsfieldi and its host plants through gene editing in the future and provides a scientific basis for the prevention and control of B. horsfieldi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using LC-LTQ-Orbitrap MS we were able to identify 10 major phosphatidylinositol (PI) species present in 32 infant formulas (IF) collected from Australia, Europe and the USA. Based on the species fingerprint, the 32 formulas can be classified into several distinct groups by PCA analysis; this grouping pattern reflects origin and the label information of the formulas. The total content of all PI species was determined by LC-Triple Quadrupole MS in negative MRM mode using external standard calibration. The content of PI showed large variation between formulas and was very high in certain cases, which is believed to be related to the use of soybean lecithin in these products. Our study indicates that the content and speciation of PIs have significant contribution to the total amount of inositol in all 32 products surveyed; this contribution may be important for the fine nutritional profile and biological functions of IF products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For LC–MS-based lipidomic analysis of milk, total lipid extraction from raw milk is generally conducted with Folch or Bligh and Dyer methods; both methods are based on two-phase partition of lipids, and thus time-consuming. In this work, three solvent systems for one-phase extraction of milk lipids were compared with the standard Folch method. Two of the solvent systems (butanol/methanol, 3:1 and 1:1) previously tested for lipid extraction from plasma were found to provide adequate extraction for polar lipids, but incomplete extraction for triglycerides, especially highly lipophilic species. By contrast, our newly designed solvent mix composed of butanol, methanol and chloroform (at a 3:5:4 ratio) provided similar extraction efficiency for triglycerides and higher yield for some of the phospholipids, as compared to the Folch method. This new one-phase extraction method is very simple yet comprehensive and thus suitable for high throughput lipid analysis of milk samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) had been proved to be pivotal regulators in carcinogenesis. On the basis of competitive endogenous RNAs (ceRNAs) system, lncRNAs significantly expanded their regulating networks. In our research, we aimed to figure out the exact role of lncRNA HNF1A-AS1 in the pathogenesis of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), in a ceRNA-dependent way. First, we revealed: HNF1A-AS1 was frequently overexpressed in HCC tissues and cell lines and its relative high expression was closely related to larger tumor size, multiple tumor lesions, poor differentiation and advanced TNM stage. Then we found: HNF1A-AS1 functioned as an oncogene in tumor growth and apoptosis through sponging tumor-suppressive hsa-miR-30b-5p (miR-30b) and de-repressing Bcl-2. Further experiments identified: HNF1A-AS1-miR-30b axis significantly promoted autophagy under starvation and ATG5 was first proved to be a target of miR-30b. In summary, we identified HNF1A-AS1-miR-30b axis as a key regulator in hepatocarcinogenesis, which may be promising biomarkers and therapeutic targets in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considered as dietary fibres with properties of prebiotics, fructo-oligosaccharides have great potential to be used as food additives to promote human health. Accurate quantification of such compounds in food crops is thus an important step in evaluating and developing designer food products. Here we describe the development and validation of a liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) based method for accurate quantification of three major tri-saccharides (1-kestose, 6G-kestose and raffinose) in wheat flour. The tri-saccharides were extracted from flour using hot water, separated with a Prevail Carbohydrate ES column and quantified by a Q-TOF mass spectrometer. The validated method was applied to a large number of random flour samples, allowing us to define the natural variation of each tri-saccharide and to reveal a clear correlation ( R 2 = 0.69, P < 0.001) between 6G-kestose and total fructan content in wheat flour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polar lipids (PLs) are a significant functional component of milk that are difficult to quantitate. A simple method for comprehensive identification and quantitative analysis of all essential PL species using bovine milk is described. The lipid fraction was extracted by a mix of chloroform and methanol and the extract was directly used for PL identification and quantification. PLs were separated by hydrophilic interaction liquid chromatography (HILIC) and detected by an Orbitrap mass analyser in positive mode. The structure of PLs was established or confirmed by tandem MS in both positive and negative modes. The method is sensitive (with a LOD for all PL classes ≤0.1 ng) and reproducible, enabling simultaneous quantification of 70 PL species within a run of 45 min. Application of this method to the quantification of PLs in 32 bovine milk samples revealed the relative abundance of different PL classes, significant variation of PL content between individual samples and the correlation between the major PL classes. The method provides a tool for investigating the variation and metabolism of important PL components in bovine and human milk and in diverse mammalian species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metabolite analysis or metabolomics is an important component of systems biology in the post-genomic era. Although separate liquid chromatography (LC) methods for quantification of the major classes of polar metabolites of plants have been available for decades, a single method that enables simultaneous determination of hundreds of polar metabolites is possible only with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) techniques. The rapid expansion of new LC stationary phases in the market and the ready access of mass spectrometry in many laboratories provides an excellent opportunity for developing LC-MS based methods for multi-target quantification of polar metabolites. Although various LC-MS methods have been developed over the last 10 years with the aim to quantify one or more classes of polar compounds in different matrices, currently there is no consensus LC-MS method that is widely used in plant metabolomics studies. The most promising methods applicable to plant metabolite analysis will be reviewed in this paper and the major problems encountered highlighted. The aim of this review is to provide plant scientists, with limited to moderate experience in analytical chemistry, with up-to-date and simplified information regarding the current status of polar metabolite analysis using LC-MS techniques. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First adoption of Paterno-Buchi reaction in studying milk lipid fine structure. • Unsaturated fatty acids show a non-specific regio-distribution in phospholipids. • Regioisomers are widespread in milk phospholipid species. • Double-bond isomers of C18:1 and C18:2 are widely detected in milk phospholipids. Hundreds of phospholipid (PL) species with defined fatty acid (FA) composition have been identified previously in bovine milk using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). Paterno-Buchi photochemical reaction coupled with LC-MS/MS was applied in this study to further unravel the regio-distribution and double bond (DB) locations of FAs. Using SPE-purified PLs and 2-acetylpyridine as the photochemical derivatization reagent, we were able to reveal the non-specific regio-distribution of unsaturated FAs and the widespread occurrence of regioisomers in milk PLs. Although Δ9 and Δ9,12 were found to be the predominant DB location(s) for C18:1 and C18:2 respectively, other DB positional isomers such as C18:1Δ11, C18:1Δ12 and C18:1Δ13 and C18:2Δ9,11 were widely detected in PL structures, implying that the minor isomers of C18:1 and C18:2 equally participate in the synthesis of PLs. Our study provides novel information on the fine structure of milk PLs and further underlines the complexity of milk lipid composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Short-chain fatty acids (SCFA, C2-C5) in milk and serum are derived from rumen bacterial fermentation and, thus, have the potential to be used as biomarkers for the health status of dairy cows. Currently, there is no comprehensive and validated method that can be used to analyse all SCFAs in both bovine serum and milk. This paper reports an optimised protocol, combining 3-nitrophenylhydrazine (3-NPH) derivatisation and liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS) analysis for quantification of SCFA and β-hydroxybutyric acid (BHBA) in both bovine milk and bovine serum. This method is sensitive (limit of detection (LOD) ≤ 0.1 µmol/L of bovine milk and serum), accurate (recovery 84–115% for most analytes) and reproducible (relative standard deviation (RSD) for repeated analyses below 7% for most measurements) with a short sample preparation step. The application of this method to samples collected from a small cohort of animals allowed us to reveal a large variation in SCFA concentration between serum and milk and across different animals as well as the strong correlation of some SCFAs between milk and serum samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Current liquid chromatography (LC) based methods for the analysis of polar plant metabolites require multiple runs using complex mobile phases and a combination of different columns. Here we describe a fast liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) method for the determination of major polar metabolites in plants that requires only a single run using a single column. The method takes advantage of the ability to acquire both positive and negative data in an ion trap mass spectrometer (MS) and also the accurate mass capability of the orbitrap MS. The separation of polar compounds is achieved with a polar, reversed-phase column (Synergi Hydro-RP). A single analysis with a 25min runtime is able to reliably determine the level of nearly all essential amino acids, several major organic acids and several major sugars in plant materials, as exemplified by analysis of a perennial ryegrass extract. The level of detection on column was below 0.1ng (average 0.03ng) for most amino acids, below 5ng (average 2.3ng) for organics acids and below 1ng (average 0.64ng) for sugars. The levels of quantified metabolites in ryegrass varied from 22μg/g dry weight for histidine to 41mg/g dry weight for sucrose. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Current methods for measuring fructan levels in plant tissues are time-consuming and costly. They often involve multiple or sequential extractions, enzymatic or acid hydrolysis of fructan polymers, and multiple HPLC runs to quantify fructan-derived hexoses. Here we describe a new method that requires a single extraction step, followed by selective precipitation of fructans by acetone, acid hydrolysis of the precipitate, and a short (10min) HPLC run to complete the procedure. We used perennial ryegrass samples to show that the new method has similar sensitivity, but better reproducibility, than a more complex method that is widely used. We have used the new method to study developmentally related changes in fructan levels in glasshouse-grown perennial ryegrass plants. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Regioisomers (or positional isomers) of triacylglycerols (TAGs) of milk are known to show differential outcome in relation to human absorption. Quantitation of TAG regioisomers remains a big challenge due to the lack of facile chromatographic separation technique. The feasibility of using fragment ion intensity ratio to determine the ratio of co-eluting AAB/ABA-type regioisomer pairs was confirmed in this study. The ability of C30 stationary phase in resolving interfering TAG isomers was demonstrated for the first time. This allowed us to reveal the complexity of using fragment ion intensity to quantify 1,2-olein-3-palmitin (OOP), 1,3-olein-2-palmitin (OPO), 1,2-olein-3-stearin (OOS), and 1,3-olein-2-stearin (OSO) regioisomers in milk samples. A novel algorithm was proposed to consider the contribution of OPO/OOP and OSO/OOS double bond (DB)-isomers and to eliminate the interference of isobaric ions from other isomers, an aspect overlooked in previous studies. This liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry method that requires no pre-fractioning and a moderate chromatographic separation time of 36 min is simple and, thus, suitable for screening a large number of samples for genetic analysis of this trait. Preliminary results using a small cohort of animals showed that OPO/OOP ratio differs significantly between Jersey and Holstein cows, and a large variation was also observed across individual Holstein cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surfactants are almost always present in herbicide treatment solutions with the aim to improve spray droplet retention on and penetration of active ingredients (a.i.s) into plant foliage. The effects of surfactants on the foliar uptake of herbicides are complex and only partially understood. The influence of a range of non-ionic polyoxyethylene surfactants on the uptake of two herbicides, glyphosate and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), was compared using three plant species, wheat, broad bean and common lambsquarters. Surfactants of higher ethylene oxide (EO) content provided greater uptake enhancement for glyphosate, whereas those of lower EO content were more beneficial for 2,4-D uptake. Among surfactants of the same EO content, those containing a C13/C15 linear alkane hydrophobe moiety appeared to be more efficient for promoting the uptake of both herbicides. When a suitable surfactant was used, glyphosate uptake into both bean and wheat foliage increased steadily with increasing surfactant concentration and reached a maximum at 0.5%. In the presence of a constant surfactant, higher percentage uptake of herbicide was obtained with higher a.i. concentrations for glyphosate, but with lower a.i. concentrations in the case of 2,4-D. In the presence of an organosilicone surfactant, the stomatal uptake of glyphosate varied with both surfactant concentration and plant species. The effect of non-silicone surfactants on the cuticular uptake of glyphosate also varied with plant species. It can be concluded that the effects of surfactants on foliar uptake of herbicides depend not only on their chemical structures (hydrophobe and hydrophile moieties) and concentration, but also on the physicochemical properties and concentration of a.i.s and the leaf surface character of the plant species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Several novel green-emitting iridium dendrimers has been successfully designed and synthesized with carbazole as the dendron, which is covalently attached to the emissive bis[2-(2-dibenzothienyl)pyridine]picolate iridium(III) [(DBTPy) 2 Irpic] core through a nonconjugated link to form an efficient self-host system for nondoped electrophosphorescent device applications. All the iridium dendrimers display green emission, possess good thermal stability and high photoluminescence quantum yields. As well as, non-doped solution-processed OLEDs were successfully fabricated based on the resulting Ir-1, Ir-2 and Ir-3 as green-emitting phosphors. By increasing the density of carbazole dendrons at the edge of the emissive core, luminescence self-quenching caused by the intermolecular interactions in the solid state can be significantly reduced. Therefore, the OLEDs based on Ir-3 show the best performances with a maximal luminous efficiency of 0.24 cd/A and a maximum brightness of 2520 cd/m2. This work will shed light on the development of novel self-host phosphorescent iridium dendrimers for solution processable nondoped electrophosphorescent devices. Novel green-emitting iridium dendrimers with carbazole as the dendron and bis[2-(2-dibenzothienyl)pyridine]picolate iridium(III) as core through a nonconjugated link have been successfully designed and synthesized to form an efficient self-host system for nondoped electrophosphorescent device applications. Image 1 • Three novel green-emitting iridium dendrimers has been successfully synthesized. • The iridium dendrimers use carbazole as dendron and (DBTPy) 2 Irpic as core. • Nondoped solution-processed OLEDs were fabricated with these iridium dendrimers. • By increasing the density of carbazole dendrons, self-quenching can be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Two new methods for fatty acid methylation without lipid extraction were validated. • Dried milk can be reliably used for in situ alkali-catalysed transesterification. • Acidic methylation of fresh milk is feasible with optimised reaction parameters. • The new methods are applicable to both homogenised and raw milk samples. Determination of the fatty acid (FA) profile of milk fat generally involves total lipid extraction from liquid milk, transesterification and GC analysis. The lipid extraction step is time consuming and often employs toxic solvents such as chloroform. Two alternative methods are presented here that skip the lipid extraction step and allow the determination of FA composition via direct transesterification of dried milk and liquid milk respectively. We have shown that dried milk can be used directly in alkaline-catalysed methylation, whereas direct transesterification of both dried milk and fresh milk is feasible with acidic methanol. Both methods generate similar results as compared to the classical two-step method (i.e. lipid extraction and FA methylation) when optimised methylation parameters (temperature, time, milk and reagent volume) are followed. By omitting the lipid extraction step, these simplified one-step methods offer a much higher throughput and a reduced cost in FA composition analysis of milk samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Large-scale shaking table tests were carried out for a subway station structure. • The isolation mechanism of Mini-NRB installed in the structure were studied. • Real-time monitoring of structure deformation was realized. • Mini-NRB reduces the bending moment of column by 60%–80% and shear force by 90%. A series of shaking-table tests of a subway station structure with mini natural rubber bearings (Mini-NRBs) installed at column ends were carried out for near-field earthquake motions. By comparing the dynamic response of the structure model with or without Mini-NRB, the isolation mechanism and effectiveness of Mini-NRB on the station model were studied. It is found that the Mini-NRB has an obvious isolation effect on the column of the structure. After installing Mini-NRB, the lateral stiffness of the column decreases greatly, which reduces the bending moment and shear force at the column end by 60%–80% and about 90% respectively under near-field earthquake excitation. The test data, real-time monitoring pictures, and ultimate structural seismic damage all show that Mini-NRB shares most of the lateral deformation of the column, so that the column is no longer a vulnerable spot of the subway station structure. In addition, Mini-NRB reduces the high frequency component of the middle plate response, thus reducing the peak acceleration response of the middle plate by 3%–10%. However, the lateral deformation of the structure and the internal force of the sidewall will increase. The lateral deformation of the structure with Mini-NRB increases by 30%–50% and the bending moment at the end of the side wall increases by 5%–25%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Human milk contains abundant oligosaccharides (OS) which are believed to have strong health benefits for neonates. OS are a minor component of bovine milk and little is known about how the production of OS is regulated in the bovine mammary gland. We have measured the abundance of 12 major OS in milk of 360 cows, which had high density SNP marker genotypes. Most of the OS were found to be highly heritable (h2 between 50 and 84%). A genome-wide association study allowed us to fine-map several QTL and identify candidate genes with major effects on five OS. Among them, a putative causal mutation close to the ABO gene on Chromosome 11 accounted for approximately 80% of genetic variance for two OS, N-acetylgalactosaminyllactose and lacto-N-neotetraose. This mutation lies very close to a variant associated with the expression levels of ABO. A third QTL mapped close to ST3GAL6 on Chromosome 1 explaining 33% of genetic variation of an abundant OS, 3′-sialyllactose. The presence of major gene effects suggests that targeted marker-assisted selection would lead to a significant increase in the level of these OS in milk. This is the first attempt to map candidate genes and causal mutations for bovine milk OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The practice of crime risk mapping, enabled by the utilization of geospatial big data such as street view images, has received significant research attention. However, in situations where available data is scarce, mapping models may suffer from underfitting and generate inaccurate spatial pattern estimations of crime risk. The covert nature of pickpocketing crimes results in limited observed areas relevant to such criminal events, leading to insufficient coverage of geospatial data. Moreover, the location of crime is also influenced by socio-economic characteristics that may introduce biases into crime risk estimates. These factors render it challenging for the model to capture a valid crime risk pattern, potentially yielding misleading conclusions. Therefore, effectively extracting crime risk with limited data remains a challenge, especially when relying on easily accessible, widespread, and unbiased geospatial data. To address this challenge, we propose a novel crime risk assessment framework based on deep anomaly detection techniques, assuming that urban landscape anomalies carry deep crime risk information. We take Shenzhen as the study area and map the distribution of pickpocketing risk using street view images, accurately revealing the spatial aggregation of pickpocketing crime risk. Our findings indicate that pickpocketing crime in China is caused by regional economic conditions, built environment factors, and human routine activities. This study provides valuable insights for policing and prevention strategies aimed at addressing pickpocketing crimes in large Chinese cities. By leveraging our proposed crime risk assessment framework, decision-makers can allocate resources more efficiently and develop targeted interventions to mitigate crime risks. • A deep learning-based model for mining pickpocketing crimes from street view images is proposed. • With the idea of anomaly detection, crime risk information can be extracted from a small number of street view images with crime labels. • The reliable parcel-level pickpocketing risk distribution was mapped in China's megacity. • Pickpocketing crime in China is multifactorial and spatially heterogeneous. • Pickpocketing crime risk is aggregated and affected by neighbourhood socioeconomic conditions and the built environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The deep-placement of nutrient-rich organic amendments in poorly-structured subsoils can improve subsoil structure and increase grain yields, but its widespread adoption by farmers is limited by the availability and cost of animal manures, the current choice of amendment. Three glasshouse experiments investigated the effectiveness of dried field pea (Pisum sativum L.) shoots (green chop), as green manure, on wheat growth in three subsoils with contrasting soil chemical and physical properties. The growth of wheat plants was greatly suppressed when the green chop was placed in Sodosol and Chromosol subsoils. In contrast, there was a twofold increase in shoot biomass in response to the addition of green chop to Vertosol. Three allelopathic compounds, pisatin, anhydropisatin, and maackian, were identified at higher concentrations in the extracts of remaining green chop residues in the Sodosol and Chromosol, compared to the Vertosol, directly supporting phytotoxicity as the cause of observed inhibitory effects of green chop in these soils. The persistence of the phytotoxicity in the Sodosol might be attributed to its poor aeration caused by poor structure or compaction. Nevertheless, pre-incubation led to microbial decomposition of the allelochemicals in the Sodosol, though at a much slower rate than in the Vertosol. Further studies are needed to determine the time period required for the disappearance of the phytotoxic effects in soils with different physico-chemical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aims Salinity affects the bioavailability of cadmium (Cd) in soils and Cd accumulation in plants, but the associated mechanisms remain unclear. This study aimed to assess the metabolic response to NaCl and Cd and the relationship between metabolites and Cd accumulation in the halophyte Carpobrotus rossii, which has potential for Cd phytoextraction. Methods Plants were grown in nutrient solution with 0–400 m m NaCl in the presence of 5 or 15 µ m Cd, with varied or constant solution Cd2+ activity. Plant growth and Cd uptake were measured, and the accumulation of peptides, and organic and amino acids in plant tissues were assessed. Key Results The addition of NaCl to Cd-containing solutions improved plant growth along with 70–87 % less shoot Cd accumulation, resulting from decreases in Cd root uptake and root-to-shoot translocation irrespective of Cd2+ activity in solutions. Moreover, Cd exposure increased the concentration of phytochelatins, which correlated positively with Cd concentrations in plants regardless of NaCl addition. In comparison, Cd inhibited the synthesis of organic acids in shoots and roots in the absence of NaCl, but increased it in shoots in the presence of NaCl. While Cd increased the concentrations of amino acids in plant shoots, the effect of NaCl on the synthesis of amino acids was inconsistent. Conclusions Our data provide the first evidence that NaCl decreased Cd shoot accumulation in C. rossii by decreasing Cd root uptake and root-to-shoot translocation even under constant Cd2+ activity. The present study also supports the important role of peptides and organic acids, particular of phytochelatins, in Cd tolerance and accumulation although the changes of those metabolites was not the main reason for the decreased Cd accumulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses the influence of friction coefficient and equivalent radius on the seismic reduction effect of friction pendulum bearings in the underground station under far-field and near-field earthquakes with different strength. It is found that the parameters of the friction pendulum bearings will obviously influence seismic reduction effectiveness. By combining genetic algorithm with finite element method, the parameters of friction pendulum bearings in the station can be optimized. By using this method, the optimal parameters range can be obtained, which can provide reference for parameter design of friction pendulum bearings in underground stations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new seismic barrier for underground structures is proposed to control the Rayleigh waves. • The soil acceleration response is reduced within the frequency range of 0.5–5 Hz. • The maximum layer drift of the subway station is reduced by over 40 %. • The internal forces of structural components are reduced by 70 % on average. • A novel index is proposed to evaluate the performance of seismic barriers. This research introduces a novel seismic mitigation approach for civil engineering constructions, utilizing seismic metamaterials, and particularly studies its application to underground structures. This approach involves the implementation of a regional seismic barrier, designed in the form of piles periodically clamped to a concrete foundation. The efficacy of this seismic barrier is explored through comprehensive numerical simulations. A wave propagation study is conducted to investigate the attenuation efficiency for Rayleigh waves in the frequency domain. Besides, dynamic analysis is performed on a two-layer and three-span subway station subjected to actual seismic recordings. The results from the wave propagation study reveal a notable reduction in acceleration response within the frequency range of 0.5 Hz–5 Hz when employing the seismic barrier, in contrast to the free-field scenario. Dynamic analysis demonstrates that the implementation of the proposed seismic barrier leads to a significant decrease in both the maximum layer drift and the structural internal forces of the subway station. Moreover, the relative displacement of soil proves to be a pertinent metric for evaluating the seismic control efficacy of the proposed barrier for underground structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A lightweight nonlinear response prediction model is established based on 1D-CNN. • The performance of 1D-CNN is excellent. • The randomness of ground motions and soil parameters are considered simultaneously. • The calculation cost of stochastic seismic response has been significantly reduced. • A comprehensive stochastic dynamic analysis is conducted using PDEM. The randomness of ground motions and soil properties has a significant impact on the seismic response of underground structures. The probability density evolution method (PDEM) is a powerful stochastic dynamic analysis method. By decoupling the physical space and probability space, any number of random excitation variables can be incorporated into the dynamic system, thereby accurately capturing the time-varying evolution of structural dynamic response. However, due to the expensive computational cost of nonlinear time history analysis (NLTHA) of underground structures, the application of the PDEM that requires many calculation samples is severely limited. In view of this, this paper proposes a lightweight stochastic seismic response analysis method for the subway station structure based on deep learning and PDEM. Firstly, mathematical models of stochastic ground motions and random soil shear wave velocity profiles are constructed. Two types of random excitations are coupled using the high-dimensional space optimization point selection method. The one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1D-CNN) is used as a proxy model to map the free field's nonlinear time-history response to the subway station structure's nonlinear time-history response. The computational cost of stochastic dynamics analysis has been significantly reduced. Subsequently, the predicted results are combined with PDEM to conduct a comprehensive analysis and evaluation of the subway station structure's seismic response and seismic performance. The research results indicate that the proposed 1D-CNN model has superior predictive performance, with a computational cost of approximately 92.5% less than the traditional process. The evolution of the subway station structure's inter-storey drift ratio (IDR) is mainly influenced by stochastic ground motions. However, under the combined random excitation, the peak value of IDR is larger and its occurrence time is earlier, so the establishment of earthquake evacuation plans should refer to this working condition. Both the randomness of soil properties and the randomness of ground motions need to be considered, otherwise, underground structures' seismic performance will be overestimated. This study provides new technologies and directions for seismic analysis and design of underground structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • 2D multilayered Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene adsorbents were fabricated via selective Al element etching. • Li+-intercalation increased the interlayer spacing and surface area. • TCF-2 exhibited broad working pH range and excellent Nd3+ adsorption capacity (517.8 mg/g). • The Nd3+/Fe3+ selectivity of TCF-2 reached 221. • The adsorption mechanism was elucidated using different characterizations. Recovering rare earth elements (REEs) from low-concentration REE-bearing waste streams has been deemed as a sustainable approach to diversity REE supply and reduce environmental burden. However, highly selective separation of trivalent Fe3+ and Al3+ impurities during low-concentration REE processing still remains a critical challenge. In this study, two-dimensional multilayered MXene adsorbents TCFs were successfully prepared and utilized for Nd3+ adsorption via selective etching of Al element in Ti 3 AlC 2. It was found that LiF/HCl-etched TCF-2 can simultaneously realize effective Al etching, interlayer spacing expansion and in-situ Li+ intercalation. The intercalated Li+ amount was up to 4.44 wt% (6.40 mmol/g). Compared with HF-etched TCF-1, TCF-2 demonstrated boosted adsorption kinetics (2 h), large adsorption capacity (517.79 mg/g), impressively high selectivity (Nd3+/Fe3+ SF = 221, Nd3+/Ca2+ SF = 858, Nd3+/Mg2+ SF = 3545), and broad working pH range (2–7). Various experimental characterizations reveal that selective Nd3+ recovery is owing to the ion-exchange and surface complexation induced by interlayer Ti-O/Ti-OH of TCF-2. Specifically, the extended X-ray sorption fine structure (EXAFS) results, in combination with density functional theory (DFT) calculations, further confirm the Nd3+ is selectively adsorbed by forming surfaced complexes structure in the interlayer. And this is also evidenced by the decrease of Nd-O distances and high coordination number. The present results illustrate that alkaline metal ion-intercalated MXene could serve as a promising candidate to efficiently remove trivalent Fe3+ impurities for REEs recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel seismic intensity measure for underground structures is proposed. • The seismic response characteristics of underground structures can be considered. • The rigidity degradation of the dynamic system can be considered. • The period range significantly affecting the seismic response for underground structures is obtained. The purpose of this study is to present a novel approach to constructing intensity measures (IMs) for underground structures using seismic response spectrums. The proposed IM takes the form of an integral of the product of the response spectrum and an arbitrary function that reflects the relative importance of each range of period to the seismic response of underground structures. To obtain the arbitrary function, an artificial neural network (ANN) technique is employed. To demonstrate the effectiveness of this method, we develop two different soil-subway station dynamic systems, referred to as Case I and Case II. Based on both cases, the probabilistic seismic demand model (PSDM) for the proposed IM and eight existing IMs are developed. The performance of the proposed IM is compared with that of the existing IMs in terms of their proficiency, practicality, and efficiency, as well as their ability to describe the probabilistic distribution of damage measure (DM). The results indicate that the proposed IM outperforms the existing IMs since it has the highest proficiency for both cases. Moreover, the fragility curves calculated using the proposed IM are more effective than those calculated using traditional IMs, with narrower uncertainty ranges, which can help reduce the uncertainty in evaluating seismic risk. Comparing the function solved by the ANN with the seismic response of subway stations under different periods of harmonic excitation, it can be found that the solved function and the seismic response reach their peak points at the same period. This finding suggests that the proposed IM can account for the interaction between the surrounding soil and underground structures, as well as the softening of soil layers during earthquakes, making it a suitable IM for underground structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cinnamoyl CoA-reductase (CCR) and caffeic acid O -methyltransferase (COMT) catalyze key steps in the biosynthesis of monolignols, which serve as building blocks in the formation of plant lignin. We identified candidate genes encoding these two enzymes in perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne) and show that the spatio-temporal expression patterns of these genes in planta correlate well with the developmental profile of lignin deposition. Downregulation of CCR1 and caffeic acid O-methyltransferase 1 (OMT1) using an RNA interference–mediated silencing strategy caused dramatic changes in lignin level and composition in transgenic perennial ryegrass plants grown under both glasshouse and field conditions. In CCR1- deficient perennial ryegrass plants, metabolic profiling indicates the redirection of intermediates both within and beyond the core phenylpropanoid pathway. The combined results strongly support a key role for the OMT1 gene product in the biosynthesis of both syringyl- and guaiacyl-lignin subunits in perennial ryegrass. Both field-grown OMT1- deficient and CCR1- deficient perennial ryegrass plants showed enhanced digestibility without obvious detrimental effects on either plant fitness or biomass production. This highlights the potential of metabolic engineering not only to enhance the forage quality of grasses but also to produce optimal feedstock plants for biofuel production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A genome wide search for new BH3-containing Bcl-2 family members was conducted using position weight matrices (PWM) and identified a large (480kDa), novel BH3-only protein, originally called LASU1 (now also known as Ureb-1, E3histone, ARF-BP1, and Mule). We demonstrated that LASU1 is an E3 ligase that ubiquitinated Mcl-1 in vitro and was required for its proteasome-dependent degradation in HeLa cells. Of note, the BH3 domain of LASU1 interacted with Mcl-1 but not with Bcl-2 or Bcl-Xl. A competing BH3-ligand derived from Bim interacted with Mcl-1 and prevented its interaction with LASU1 in HeLa cells, causing elevation of the steady-state levels of Mcl-1. This suggests that the unliganded form of Mcl-1 is sensitive to LASU1-mediated degradation of Mcl-1. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient controlling plant growth and development through the regulation of basic metabolic processes. Soil P deficiency is one of the major limiting factors for sustainable crop production worldwide. Previous studies have demonstrated that silicon (Si), as a beneficial element, promotes plant nutrition, growth, development, and responses to low P (LP) stress; however, the molecular mechanisms underlying Si-mediated LP tolerance remain largely unclear. Here, we found that LP + Si treatment increased the net photosynthetic rate and shoot fresh weight by 34.3%, and 121.3%, respectively compared with LP alone. RNA-sequencing and metabolomic analyses were subsequently performed with tomato plants grown under control and P depleted conditions with or without Si amendment. RNA-sequencing showed that Si supply alters not only the expression of genes involved in the metabolism of carbon (C), nitrogen (N), and P but also phosphorylation processes and metabolism of glutathione and reactive active oxygen in tomato roots. Si also affected the expression of genes encoding major transcription factors such as WRKY and MYB under LP stress. Moreover, a set of genes encoding the enzymes or regulators of organic acid (OA) metabolism or secretion were differentially expressed in Si-treated P deficient roots compared with those in LP stress alone. Furthermore, the metabolomic analysis showed that the levels of several OAs were significantly elevated in Si-treated P deficient roots. Taken together, these results indicate that exogenous Si increases the secretion of OAs by modulating C/N metabolism in LP-treated tomato roots and thereby improving plant growth under LP stress. • Silicon (Si) improved antioxidant defense and mitigated low phosphorus (LP) stress. • RNA-sequencing revealed regulation of GSH and ROS metabolism by Si under LP stress. • Si also altered the transcripts of major transcription factors such as WRKY and MYB. • Genes involved in organic acid (OA) metabolism were differentially modulated by Si. • Metabolomic analysis showed accumulation of OAs in Si-treated roots under LP stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The name of the co-author of the article mentioned above was incorrectly presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, an increasing number of circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been discovered in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). However, the functions of most circRNAs require further investigation. Here, we found that circBACH1 was significantly upregulated in HCC tissues and that high circBACH1 levels were closely associated with poor prognosis. In addition, circBACH1 could promote HCC growth by accelerating cell cycle progression in vitro and in vivo. We next investigated the cellular and molecular mechanisms and discovered that circBACH1 inhibited p27 translation, which influenced cell cycle progression. Moreover, we revealed that circBACH1 could combine directly with HuR using RNA immunoprecipitation assays, pull‐down assays, and electrophoretic mobility shift assays. The combination of these molecules facilitated HuR translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm according to the fluorescence in situ hybridization and immunofluorescence results. Finally, silencing HuR abrogated circBACH1's inhibition of p27 translation and abolished the circBACH1‐induced effect on HCC proliferation. In sum, circBACH1 plays a significant role as an oncogene through the circBACH1/HuR/p27 axis in HCC development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dense K4CuNb8O23 modified (Na0.5K0.5)NbO3 (NKN:KCN) ceramics were synthesized by using conventional oxide mixing process. The maximum mechanical quality factor Qm of NKN:KCN ceramics reaches up to 1150, the piezoelectric constant d33 and the planar electromechanical coefficient kp still maintain relatively high levels, which are about 100 pC/N and 40%, respectively. Middle frequency (455 kHz) lead-free resonators were fabricated by using NKN:KCN, and remarkable improvements in resonance characteristics were found by KCN doping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Endothall amine efficacy was greater when plants were exposed in moving water. • Endothall amine was less potent as it aged in water solutions. • Potency was generally reduced from 12 h after application. Abstract The amine formulation of endothall is a herbicide that may be applied to flowing irrigation canals to control submerged aquatic weeds and algae. We undertook a bioassay experiment to simulate the effects of water movement and increasing distance away from an application point on control of aquatic weeds. We exposed two submerged aquatic plants (Elodea canadensis and Vallisneria australis) to endothall amine solutions. This was done a) with solutions that were aged for 0, 12, 24 and 48 h prior to plant exposure, to simulate the effect of distance downstream of the application point, and b) in three hydrodynamic environments: quiescent, low-flow and high-flow. Endothall amine was less potent on both species as the solution aged, such that potency was generally reduced from 12 h after application. The concentration of endothall acid did not decrease in the exposure tanks during the experiment, suggesting that there is a change of the endothall amine molecule as it ages in water, which reduces the herbicide's potency. Endothall amine efficacy was greater for both species when plants were exposed in moving water compared to quiescent water. We propose that the increased efficacy in moving water is caused by a reduction in the thickness of the aqueous diffusive boundary layer in the hydrodynamic environment, thus increasing the rate of endothall amine diffusion into the plant tissue. This information can be used to improve management of submersed aquatic weeds with endothall amine and to understand its potential impact on non-target aquatic plants as herbicide-treated water moves away from the area of application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]